This invention relates generally to charging batteries, and more specifically to methods and systems for charging batteries and extending battery life.
At least some known batteries are electrically coupled in a series or parallel string configuration to facilitate increasing the voltage that is available to the system in which the batteries are connected. To facilitate charging such strings of batteries, at least one known system utilizes a typically constant voltage source charger. However, overcharging a lead acid battery may damage the battery and/or reduce the effective operational life of the battery, whereas undercharging a battery reduces the time the battery can be utilized in the system. Moreover, while coupling a single known charging system to a plurality of batteries that are coupled together in either a series or parallel configuration facilitates balancing the charging power equally across the string of batteries, the charging system does not effectively charge each individual battery in the string of batteries. Therefore, at least some batteries in the string of batteries, or at least some cells within an individual battery in the string of batteries, may be overcharged, while other batteries or cells within an individual battery are undercharged.